Nixon unveils summer employment program for young Missourians

Governor Jay Nixon (D-MO) has unveiled a summer employment program designed to help prepare young Missourians for careers in high tech fields.

The announcement came during a visit to the bio-chemistry lab at the new ABC Laboratories in Columbia’s Discovery Ridge Research Park, a product development laboratory serving the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

The so-called Missouri Next-Generation Jobs Team will match 3,000 young people between the ages of 16 and 24 with ABC and other cutting-edge employers. The summer internships are aimed at helping young people discover career fields of interest.

The Governor’s Press Secretary Scott Holste says one of the great things about this program is that it will not be paid for through Missouri tax dollars, rather it is being funded by money from the federal stimulus package.

"This is a program," said Holste. "That is being funded through Federal Recovery Act money to the tune of about $25-million."

The state will contribute some resources through the Department of Economic Development to help match up employers to the applicants, but the wages will be paid by the federal government.

The Governor is making this announcement at a number of businesses throughout the state on Monday and Tuesday.